You may have heard about pet insurance while scrolling online or looking at a brochure in your veterinarian’s office, but you may not know why you would need this coverage and if it’s truly worth it. So, let’s talk about how pet insurance can help you and your pet.
Pet insurance provides a multitude of benefits to pet parents and helps veterinarians provide better care to our patients. As veterinarians, we can recommend the best treatment plans for dogs and cats without the financial hesitation from pet parents. It is difficult having a patient that requires extensive care to improve his condition while being limited in offering that treatment because it may not be financially feasible for many pet parents.
The Cost of Care and the Role of Insurance
I have heard from many people that the costs of veterinary care are high, which can limit their ability to provide the care that they would like to for their pets. People compare their own health procedures to those of their pets, citing that their pets’ care costs more. However, the costs of veterinary care are actually comparable to similar procedures in human medicine. The difference is that health insurance is widely used by people, which reduces out-of-pocket costs, whereas pet insurance is not as common among pet parents currently.
Pet parents can have this same benefit by choosing to insure their pets. Like human health insurance, pet insurance is generally paid monthly. This gives pet parents an expected monthly payment that is more manageable compared to a high up-front cost when their pets face an illness or injury.
Peace of Mind and Better Outcomes
Pet insurance also gives pet parents peace of mind. Because unexpected situations can happen with pets, having insurance ensures that pets are protected and can help them get the care they need. For example, if your dog accidentally eats a corn cob and requires emergency surgery, the associated costs can be thousands of dollars. This is a huge limiting factor for many pet parents and can also prevent veterinarians from providing the critical care a pet needs to recover. However, pet insurance can cover up to 90% of these unexpected veterinary costs, which can help save the lives of pets and help pet parents focus on how to help their pets recover rather than how they will afford such treatment when emotions are already running high.
Pet insurance is not just beneficial for emergency situations either. Some insurance plans also cover costs associated with routine veterinary care and management of chronic conditions. Pet parents are more likely to follow a veterinarian’s recommendations for treatment and follow-up care when using pet insurance since costs are predictable and minimal. Because of this, veterinarians can detect potential health concerns early so they can be addressed before becoming more severe.
Empowering Pet Parents and Veterinarians
With pet insurance, veterinarians are better able to advocate for their patients since financial restraint is not a factor. If a specific treatment option is the gold standard of care, veterinarians can freely recommend and educate pet parents without the concern of adding financial stress to them. Pet parents can also feel more empowered to care for their pets when they have a safety net in place for veterinary costs. Veterinarians no longer have to focus on financial discussion with pet parents during the veterinary visit, but instead they can spend more time formulating the best treatment plan and educating pet parents on ways to help their pets live long, healthy lives.
If you are thinking of buying pet insurance for your cat or dog, speak with your veterinarian who can answer any questions you may have and educate you on many benefits of having insurance for your pet.